Chapter 15 #2
Already she was forcing smiles and going along with shit she wasn’t comfortable with.
She didn’t want to be the woman who let her past relationship influence her present one, but she had trust issues.
She didn’t expect a man Loyal’s age to be completely available.
A man with kids just came with the territory after you hit 35, but it was never easy to handle.
She knew that seeing him with Tisa tonight would tell her all she needed to know about what she was dealing with.
“What are you doing here, Dr. Martin? I thought you were out on vacation?”
Sloan looked up from her desk and gave a polite smile because her nurses were used to her being polite.
“I’m just catching up on some work. That’s all,” she replied.
All Sloan knew was work. It was how she coped with everything.
Science was something that had never failed her.
It was predictable. It was dependable. It was black and white.
When the world confused her. When stress wore her down.
When her emotions were out of control, she indulged in the beauty of science, her work, and her life’s mission.
She was working on her next medical trial.
She wanted to eradicate fibroids in women, especially Black women, and she knew it would take hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of research.
It was the perfect distraction from the pain she felt.
It didn’t cure the loneliness, but it left little room to dwell on it.
Her job was the one area in her life where she excelled.
It was the one thing that no one could sabotage.
Her accomplishments were vast, and when the world went to hell around her, she found solace in helping other women.
Whether she was delivering babies, counseling, and educating young girls, or contributing to the evolution of reproductive medicine, it all made her feel like she had a purpose.
People failed her every time. Science never did.
“Any big Christmas plans?” her nurse asked.
“No, no plans. Just work,” Sloan answered. “Can you close the door, please?”
Friendsmas break was supposed to be fun.
It was supposed to be a reunion filled with love and laughter.
She hadn’t foreseen the heartbreak that had come along with it.
She didn’t know if Cassidy had tried to call or not because she had blocked him.
She knew it was for the best. She just couldn’t understand why she couldn’t stop herself from aching inside.
She knew that she would have to come clean to Ellie one day.
There was no way she could keep this a secret from her now that Courtney and Shy knew.
She prayed that Ellie didn’t overreact. The last thing she wanted to do was fall out with her best friend.
Ellie had always had a “don’t even think about it” mentality when it came to Cassidy.
Sloan had broken that rule, and she knew that it would come to light eventually.
Her phone rang, and a foreign number popped up on her phone.
She didn’t want any distractions, so she silenced it and continued working.
When the same number called her right back, she frowned in irritation.
She hated when people called her back-to-back like that, and she answered it with every intention to put someone in their place.
Whoever it was didn’t respect the boundary of voicemail; they were imposing themselves on her time, and it pissed Sloan clean off.
“Dr. Martin; how can I help you?” Sloan answered while scrolling down the laptop as she read the article in front of her.
“Auntie Sloan, can you come get me, please?”
Sloan gave the phone her full attention as she picked it up and took it off speakerphone.
“Brooklyn? Is everything okay? Where are you?” Sloan asked.
It wasn’t uncharacteristic for Brooklyn to call Sloan.
Sloan was her Godmother. Despite their physical distance, Sloan made sure to impact her life in a positive way.
They spoke every week, twice a week, no matter what, and it was a ritual they had done ever since she was born.
Before Brooklyn could even talk, Sloan would be cooing to Ellie over the phone and flying in once a month for visits.
Their bond was strong, but this phone call felt odd, considering she was supposed to be spending time with her dad.
“I’m at my dad’s, but I really want to come home,” Brooklyn said. “I want to call my mom, but he won’t let me.”
“What do you mean he won’t let you?” Sloan asked, her voice elevating as instant anger built in her chest.
“He took my phone because he says I’m ungrateful, and when I asked to go home, he said no. My mom must have his number blocked because my calls won’t go through from his phone. This is his phone I’m calling you from.”
“And you have to sneak to call me?” Sloan asked. She was already gathering her things.
“I just want to come home, Auntie. He hasn’t even spent any time with me.
He works all day and leaves me here with his girlfriend.
She doesn’t say two words to me. I don’t even think she wants me here.
I feel uncomfortable, Auntie Sloan. Plus, there’s no room.
I’m sleeping on the couch because her brother is staying here, and he was in the guest room first, and the other room is being used for storage.
She said it didn’t make sense for him to give up his room for someone who is only staying a week.
Can you please just call my mom for me?”
“Her brother? How old is this brother?” Sloan snapped. She grabbed her laptop, some thick medical books she needed for research, her bag, and her keys before storming out the door and to her car.
“I don’t know. He’s like 30 or something,” Brooklyn said. “I got to go, Auntie. Somebody’s coming.” Brooklyn rushed out the words so frantically that Sloan didn’t even have time to respond.
Click.
“Oh, Cairo has lost his mind,” Sloan mumbled as she threw her things in the car. She immediately called Ellie. Voicemail. “Girlll,” Sloan sang. “Answer your phone.” She tried Ellie again, to no avail, before sending a text.
Sloan
Call me as soon as you get this. It’s important.
Sloan didn’t wait to get the return call from Ellie.
She headed over to Cairo’s house. She was almost positive that Ellie would be going to get her child if she knew what was going on.
She cleared the expressway, pushing 95mph the entire way.
The day was as dreary as her mood. Michigan winters came with gray skies, and the dusting of snow that was falling from the sky forced Sloan to turn on her wipers to get a clear view.
She was grateful that she and Shy had done a stakeout for Ellie a few years back.
They had done some things for each other over the years.
When Cairo had first abandoned Ellie, her friend had desperately wanted to know if Cairo was living with another woman.
She couldn’t make the trip to Michigan to go on the opps mission herself, so Sloan and Shy had done it for her.
They had stalked that man all night until some heffa had done the walk of shame the next morning.
They slut-shamed the poor lady all the way to her car, hooting and hollering out the window and shouting, “He’s a married, cheating-ass man!
” at the top of their lungs. Cairo had always despised their friend group, but he absolutely hated them after that.
She hadn’t been back to his house since, but instant directions popped up in her memory now that she needed to get to her Goddaughter.
She arrived and called Ellie one more time.
When she Didn’t answer, Sloan made the executive decision to go get Brooklyn out of that house.
She prayed she didn’t have to snap on Cairo or his girlfriend.
She was in no position to fight. She wore closed-toe Pigalle’s and her doctor’s coat.
She’d look a fool trying to pop off on anybody, but she wasn’t against it if somebody got stupid.
She rang the doorbell, and when Cairo opened it, a look of disgust crossed his face.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he asked.
“I’m here to pick Brooklyn up. She called. She’s ready to go back to her mom,” Sloan said sternly.
His girlfriend stepped up behind him. “Baby, is everything okay?”
“Brook is fine. She’s being a brat because I’m putting down some rules in my house. This don’t concern you, Sloan. I’d appreciate it if you leave my house,” Cairo stated. He was acting like he had some sense, so Sloan wasn’t completely thrown off, but she wasn’t backing down.
“Look, Cairo, you and Ellie chose me because you trusted me to love your daughter like she’s my own.
She doesn’t want to be here right now, and I don’t know what that’s about.
Four years is a lot of time to let go by without seeing your daughter.
There are some things that need to be worked out, it sounds like… ”
“This is not her place, Cairo,” the girlfriend piped up.
Sloan deadpanned on Cairo and gave him a warning look.
“You better get your fucking girlfriend, nigga, because you know how I get down. If anybody is out of place, it’s her and her fucking thirty-year-old brother that’s sleeping in this house while my niece is here.
Why is Brook on the couch while that grown-ass man is sleeping comfortably in a bed?
Why is he in there with her at all while you at work?
Come on, Cairo! You got more sense than this,” Sloan hissed.
“But if you don’t, and you want to make this a thing, I can call Cassidy to come settle this.
It’s easier to deal with me than him or even Ellie.
You and Ellie can work out the details later, but my Goddaughter called me, so let me take her. ”
Cairo was steaming mad. She could see it, but she could also see that he understood the reason.